


A meeting under an oak tree

by The_Fantasy_Novelist



Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 05:05:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4774676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Fantasy_Novelist/pseuds/The_Fantasy_Novelist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A retelling of the War of the Roses from Elizabeth Woodville's perspective, inspired by Philippa Gregory's 'The White Queen'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A meeting under an oak tree

I make myself up so I could make an impression, donning the most beautiful and valuable gown I own. My mother has mended it herself with gold lace and she says that she had woven magic in its thread, the product of enchantment. I had risen early to wash my hair this morning and now it falls in soft golden waves along my backside and scrubbed my skin with soap so that it is bright and soft. As I am doing this, I wonder if this is all in vain, perhaps he may not even come, it is not like we have a proper, formal appointment. It is too out of the blue, he doesn’t know who I am and I have never been within his presence. Although it is the best I have, I admit to myself that it is a modest appearance. It would be nothing to him, not even a fraction of the glamour of the first-class court ladies… he will have seen finer by far. I have been preparing this for a week and now it finally strikes me the reality of the absurdity of my position. I, the daughter and widow of a humble squire, the eldest daughter of many children, attracting a young and proud king as he rides to battle? I have to simply rely on my natural beauty to make an impression on him. I know that I am beautiful, my mother was the most renowned beauty in her days at court and they say my beauty outshines her. I have been complimented and admired ever since my breasts began to bud and I began to flower. But I doubt he would find me beautiful, he would be accustomed to ladies who dress and look impeccable, whose titles and inheritance outshine mine by a yard, he would have met them at balls or at the glamour of the court, waited on by servants, whereas I will be standing by the oak tree, in a simple yellow gown with a white veil and simple shoes, no servants of ladies in waiting, no titles of land for I have lost it all. 

To be continued...

**Author's Note:**

> Please kudos if you enjoy my writing.
> 
> Please comment if you are in the mood as my desire to post a continuation of story depends on readers' comments.
> 
> If you are interested in reading more, please revisit this page as there will be a continuation of the story posted within a few days. I am quite busy at the moment to post it all at once. Thank you for your patience.


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